Weave of Time

Artist: Bruce Walther
Location: Port Kells Centennial Hall (18918 88 Avenue)
Category: Civic collection
Year: 2018

About Weave of Time

A glass mosaic artwork animates an exterior wall of Port Kells Centennial Hall. Weave of Time plays off the neighbourhood’s name and depicts the natural and human heritage of Port Kells with imagery superimposed on a patterned background. The intricate knot-patterned background was inspired by research on the Kells Brothers, first settlers to the neighbourhood who hailed from Ireland, and recalls imagery from the Book of Kells, a renowned medieval illuminated manuscript. The artwork celebrates activities common to the area, past or present: logging, agriculture, horse riding, fishing, and transportation.

On the left side, the artwork shows the area's logging history through imagery of the saw blade and Old Curly logging train that used to work the railway along Harvie Road in the 1890s. On the right side, the design honours agricultural history with the inclusion of a salmon berry, which is indigenous to the neighbourhood, and horse riding, which is still practiced in parts of the neighbourhood. In the centre, the artist included a Coho salmon and paddle wheeler to represent past activities along the Fraser River, such as fishing and transportation that contributed to the flourishment of Port Kells as a community.

About the Artist

Bruce Walther is a professional artist who has completed numerous glass and mosaic public art commissions for various municipalities throughout the Lower Mainland and as far away as Winnipeg. He trained at Langara College and Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Recent projects include three sidewalk mosaics representing the history and culture of the City of New Westminster. He also created a glass rainwater feature mosaic at the entrance to the Queensborough Community Centre. When not working on art projects, Bruce supports himself as a tile setter and as a marine glazer.